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Friday, 16 January 2015

Hosting the perfect dinner party at home

It's January and we've all got the blues after Christmas and New Year. Many people won't be going out too much this month after partying over the festive season and some may also want to cut back on the spending in January until that end of the month paycheck arrives! However, this does not mean that your January has to be a blue and boring one - why not host your own dinner party for your close friends at home? Here's my tips for hosting the perfect dinner party in the comfort of your own home in January.

1. Fresh flowers
Flowers arranged in a beautiful way in your favourite vase can change the atmosphere of any room. So if you're planning on having friends over for dinner, get that vase full of fresh flowers as your centre piece to the dining table. This would also look great in a hallway or even the living room.

2. A great bottle of wine
My favourite is a nice Rose wine or classic White wine. But whatever your favourite is, put some thought into which wine you will serve at dinner as it's a fantastic compliment to the meal.

3. Place cards on the dining table
This is a nice touch and it makes your guests feel extra special. These are very easy to make at home if you buy some nice card, print the names on it (and any jokes for your guests!) and cut the card up into small sections. It's also good to assign the seats at the table before your guests arrive and I like to mix up the group and seat guests who might not know each other so well together so that people get to make new friends.

4. Lighting
This is probably the most important thing of your whole dinner party after the food. Good lighting is key and by simply dimming the lights at dinner can change the whole setting and mood of the room. I like to add extra candles if dimming the lights as this gives a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.

5. Chocolates after dinner
It's always nice to have something sweet after dinner. Before or after dessert, it's nice to go around the table with a box of chocolates for your guests to try.

Do you have any dinner party tips? What are your top 5 tips for hosting the perfect dinner party at home?